Salad Days
Definition: the time period where someone was young and reckless
From Shakespeare in Antony and Cleopatra:
My salad days,
When I was green in judgment, cold in blood,
To say as I said then.
A salad is green when its fresh. Green implies beginnings or amateurism.
Why I Looked It Up
I saw a tweet:
One of the unexpectedly difficult things about being on social media when you’re my age is how many of your friends’ pets (acquired in their salad days) are now dead or dying
Postscript
Added on
It came up in Leonardo da Vinci:
Ever since his salad days Leonardo knew the joys and advantages of having a team.